


Healing's Untimely Arrival

by vade_brucestephenbucky



Series: Vade's Ironstrange Bingo 2020 [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Healing, IronStrange Bingo 2020, Past Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Romance, Strangers to Lovers, This is my first time, also, i don't know how to do ao3 tags man, slight mentions of - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22980499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vade_brucestephenbucky/pseuds/vade_brucestephenbucky
Summary: Tony had been in a terrible state of emotional disarray after the ending of the Avengers. Pepper had done everything in her power to keep the man's morale high (and his blood alcohol count low, preferably zero), but she was unable to bring an end to his stresses. So with the help of her new female suitor, she found someone Tony had never met, perfect for the man, to bring him out of his sorrows. There was only one problem:Tony didn't know when he'd be arriving at his home. Tony also didn't know how much the man would change his life for the better.
Relationships: Christine Palmer/Pepper Potts, Tony Stark/Stephen Strange, Very slight - Relationship
Series: Vade's Ironstrange Bingo 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1651507
Comments: 2
Kudos: 55
Collections: IronStrange Bingo 2020





	Healing's Untimely Arrival

**Author's Note:**

> For the Ironstrange Bingo prompt square, Healing Partner.

It started a few months after the Avengers split. Not the pain; Tony Stark had been in pain years before anything even remotely to do with the Avengers. Whether it be the pain in his chest or the pain in his heart, the man had suffered in pain for as long as he could remember. After the subsequent split of the Avengers and the ending of his relationship with Pepper, his physical and emotional pain grew at an exponential rate. 

Pepper, even if they weren’t together, tried to keep his spirits up. She checked in on him every once a while, invited him to events (in which he would not go to), and as much as he had accepted their split as final, Tony refused to take any of the offers she proposed to meet new people. He told her the same thing every time she brought it up. However, it was the last time she brought it up that was vastly different than the other times. 

“I’m telling you, Tony, you can’t dwell on the other members of the Avengers. It was their choice to leave,” Pepper said, slyly taking the glass of whiskey from his hand and replacing it with water. “Their choice to not sign the accords and abandon the team.” 

Tony rolled his eyes and took a sip of his drink. He didn’t mind the lack of alcohol. He wouldn’t admit it, at least not to Pepper, but he did enjoy the change in the drink. It didn’t help with temporarily forgetting the pain, but the water was refreshing. 

“It’s not that I’m mad about them leaving, I’m mad about that star-spangled bastard who doesn’t realize the consequences of his actions,” Tony spoke and downed the glass of water. “He doesn’t care about me or any of the team members, he doesn’t care about anything that had to do with the team, and if he did, he would have signed the damn accords and kept the team together. He would have done the right thing.” 

Pepper sighed and took his glass before it slipped from his hand. “You’ve said this. I was there, Tony. I don’t even know why I’m still here considering we aren’t together.”

“Didn’t you say that you had a date tonight?” Tony shifted in his seat and stretched out his arms in a yawn. “With the Christy girl? Is that her name?”

Pepper walled her eyes at Tony. “Christine. She’s friends with a wizard on Bleecker Street I think you would get along with. If you’ll come, which I know you most likely won’t, we can get together at some point.” 

Tony shook his head. “A wizard on Bleecker Street? I’ll pretend like that’s not the weirdest thing I’ve heard all day. And yes, you’d be correct, I won’t come. I don’t enjoy social outings.” 

“You never did. I’ll send him to you then,” Pepper said as stood from the couch. She eased over to the edge of the room and grabbed her handbag from the shelf. She smiled at the man and pressed the button on the elevator.

Tony shot from his seat. “What did you say?” He rushed to the elevator and just as it opened, Pepper stepped in. “You aren’t going to send him here, are you?” 

Pepper selected the button for the bottom floor and looked back to Tony as the doors began to close. “Good night, Tony,” she answered, a smirk across her lips. 

As many times as Pepper had come around, it had never ended like this. Tony leaned against the wall, a sense of opportunity coming over him. He hadn’t felt this much emotional activity in weeks, and he couldn’t pin down the emotions he currently felt. An exciting uncertainty? But how could uncertainty be exciting? An outside man visiting his estate, and a wizard no less? 

Tony paced the room. He had no idea when this unfamiliar man would visit him. He knew it couldn’t be tonight, for Pepper would rather spend her time with her new flame than plan for a wizard to visit him. He’d have to start preparing for an untimely arrival of a wizard from Bleecker Street. 

So, Tony began to clean. 

Tony went around his house, finding glasses and silverware scattered about the place. He gathered them up and brought them into the kitchen. The sink, cluttered with dishes, had been neglected for a couple of weeks, for Tony wasn’t up to cleaning. Now, whether it was from the rush of adrenaline or that he had become sick of his unpleasant surroundings, he decided he’d run the dishwasher. 

Tony placed the dirty plates of various sizes and patterns into the dishwasher, along with cereal bowls, of course, the empty drinking glasses he had collected from the house. He grabbed the used silverware and set them in their tray, placing it in the dishwasher next to the other kitchenware. He placed two soap pods in the bottom and closed the lid. 

“FRIDAY, start the dishwasher,” Tony said, a proud smile coming over his face. It wasn’t much, but he felt the kitchen looked much better than it did beforehand.

The dishwasher turned on, its low rumble filling the quiet kitchen. 

Once again, his mind wandered back to the stranger that would be visiting him. Tony had to get to work bright and early tomorrow to get the Compound into order. Hopefully, Pepper would be sensible when she set up their meeting for some time later in the week. Maybe she’d get distracted on her date with Christine and forget all about the arrangements. But Tony knew this wouldn’t be the case.

Before leaving the kitchen to heading off to bed, Tony swept the floors and rearranged the chairs at the kitchen table to fit the room better. He made sure all the lights had been turned off and returned to his bedroom for the night.  
As he settled into the covers and flipped through the television for something to watch, Tony thought about the man again. He couldn’t seem to keep his mind away from him. A wizard, the man was. This intrigued Tony, for he had never even heard of wizards in New York City. He wondered why Pepper and Christine thought a wizard would be good for him. 

Tony yawned before sinking down in the sheets and decided to just turn the television off completely. His mind began to quiet, and in a matter of minutes, the man had fallen asleep. 

As he did every morning, Tony woke to an alarm. However, he didn’t dread the alarm like he did the previous mornings. As the unknowing visit of the wizard entered his mind, Tony wished to bring himself from the bed and make his house presentable for the man. The adrenaline from last night still lingered in his chest. For the first time in months, he wanted to improve his surroundings and care for himself as he should have. He enjoyed the feeling of optimism; he had missed it. 

The arrival of this wizard was bound to be soon, even if Tony didn’t know when. He rose from his bed and fixed the sheets, adjusting his pillows to sit straight against the bedframe. Tony brought his sheets to the head of the bed and straightened the wrinkles out of the covers. He set his television remote on his bedside table after finding it tangled between his blankets. 

Tony exited his bedroom and entered his bathroom, noticing immediately the unkemptness of his counters. The man organized his facial products and lotions he applied before going to sleep or after he showered. He dampened a bath cloth and wiped down the counters. He set his toothbrush in the cup and exhaled. He smiled, for the bathroom looked much neater. He ran himself through the shower, moisturized his face, and styled his hair. 

Tony donned himself in grey casual pants and a deep red long-sleeved shirt he pushed up to his elbows. The clothing was nice enough to look presentable, but the casual aspect of the fabric kept him comfortable.

“Boss, there’s an unknown man at the door,” FRIDAY’s voice rang out.

Tony’s heart jumped, and he rushed into the living room. He centered the ottoman on the rug and across from the middle of the couch. His eyes darted around the room for anything to adjust or move from the vicinity, and he saw nothing. 

“Would you like for me to let him in, Boss?” FRIDAY asked once again, her Irish accent echoing from the surround-sound speakers. 

Tony took a deep breath. He responded, “Lead him to the elevator, FRIDAY.” A smile came over his face as he waited for the elevator door to open. 

In a slowed moment, as his heart began to race, the elevator doors eased open. 

A man, with striking cheekbones and defining grey streaks in his black hair, stepped from the elevator. The man seemed to be around Tony’s age, but a bit younger and taller in stature. His hands were placed in the pockets on his sweater, and he wore a blue buttoned henley shirt.

Tony wasn’t sure why, but he felt a familiar heat rise in his cheeks and enthusiasm build in his chest. He had to admit; the man who stood before him evoked an unfamiliar but stimulating feeling within himself. He had to quit staring.

“Bleecker Street wizard?” Tony inquired and met the man’s eyes. “Those were the words Pepper used to describe you. I assume you are the man she sent to visit me.” 

The unknown man chuckled. “Christine told me about Miss Potts planning you and I’s visit. Ever since we parted, she’s wanted me to talk to new people and said you might be someone of my interest. My name is Stephen Strange, and yes, I am a wizard from Bleecker Street.”

Tony smiled. “Well, Stephen Strange, my name is Tony Stark.” 

Stephen nodded. “I know of you, but Christine refused to tell me your name. She said it’d be better for me to not know, so I wouldn’t carry, how did she put it, preconceived notions about you,” Stephen let a smile come over his lips, and he rolled his eyes. “Would you like to go out for breakfast? I have eaten anything this morning.” 

“You know what?” Tony suggested, “I’ll cook. Whatever you want, I can whip up in the kitchen. It might be a good way for us to get to know each other.” 

The smile on Stephen’s lips widened, and he was glad he agreed with Christine to meet up with this man. “Better get the non-stick spray if we’re having eggs.” 

Tony laughed. “If you want to leave your shoes at the door, you can. I’ll start getting everything ready in the kitchen.” 

Stephen set his shoes by the entrance and exhaled. His heart thumped about in his chest, enlivened by the man’s presence. He fidgeted with the fabric of the pockets in his sweater, careful not to expose his hands unless necessary. 

“So, tell me about your wizardry, if I’m allowed to ask,” Tony spoke, glancing at Stephen as he took a non-stick skillet from the cabinets. He turned on the stove to medium-low heat and placed the skillet on the eye. “I’ll be doing omelets if that’s alright with you.” 

“Just what I’ve been wanting,” Stephen responded and entered the kitchen.“I’m a Master of the Mystic Arts at the New York sanctum, on Bleecker Street. I started my journey on the road of magic as a plead for help after tragedy struck, and I had nothing. I was led to Nepal where I started my studies. After a run-in with an interdimensional warlord who wished to destroy this dimension, I ended up in, as I said, in the New York Sanctum.” 

Tony wanted to ask about his tragedy, but it felt too early in their relationship to ask such a personal question. “I have to about the interdimensional warlord. What was he out for?” He took a carton of eggs from the refrigerator. 

“Interdimensional domination. He had brainwashed an especially powerful sorcerer and gathered an occult following by former students of the sanctum,” Stephen explained, seating himself on a barstool at the kitchen island across from where Tony cooked. “The only way I was able to defeat him was to use an infinity stone. I placed him in a time loop to force his surrender and ensure the safety of this dimension. That’s my job as master of the mystic arts, to protect this reality and many others.” 

Tony, who currently had his back turned to the man as he cracked two eggs, blushed, overcome with reverence for the man. He decided he’d face the man and whisk the eggs on the island counter. “And I thought my job was important when it came to protecting the world. That’s hard work, Strange.”

“Someone has to look out for the threats the Avengers aren’t capable of handling. No offense to you, of course,” Stephen continued, shifting the conversation to the man before him. “You make inventions that help the world become a better place; that’s a great feat itself, Tony. You needn’t feel as if you aren’t worthy of praise.” He watched the man work the eggs into a thin liquid as he realized there had been mutual respect established this early in their relationship. 

Tony’s heart skipped a beat at how well they got along. “I don’t associate much with the Avengers anymore, we’ve gone our separate ways.” 

“I won’t ask,” Stephen said, not missing a beat. “I understand, losing someone or a group of people you thought you could trust because of ideological differences. It’s better to move on, I think.” 

Tony nodded in agreeance with the man. He realized, caught in the conversation, that he had forgotten to put a stick of butter down in the pan. His eyes shifted to Stephen’s.

“I need you to get a stick of butter from the refrigerator. It’s in the right-hand dairy compartment in the door,” Tony asked, grabbing a spatula from a drawer. He set it down by the pan. “If you can, you don’t have to, place it down in the pan and push it around so it can melt before I pour down the eggs.” 

Stephen came from his seat and walked to the refrigerator, grabbing the butter from the dairy compartment. He shut the refrigerator door and stood in front of the stove. He sliced off a piece of the butter and set it in the pan. He let it melt in place for a moment before spreading it around the skillet evenly. Stephen’s hands trembled from the heat of the stove, and he hoped Tony wouldn’t notice his tremors. 

Stephen set the spatula against the handle of the skillet. He turned around at the same time as Tony, and their eyes met once again. “Let me get out of the way,” Stephen said and slid out from behind the island. 

“That was a great help. What do you want in your omelet?” Tony asked as he focused on pouring the egg mixture into the pan. “I have some chunks of ham in the fridge, along with some onion and cheese slices.” 

Stephen wasn’t a picky eater, and the smell of the eggs made him even more hungry than when he arrived. “I’m good for any filling at this point. I’m good for just eggs, I’m that hungry.” 

“Well, I’m bound and determined to make omelets,” Tony said and shot a smile at the man. He lifted the pan from the stove to allow the excess liquid to drain underneath the pancake-like sheet of eggs. “The cheese and chunks of ham are in the pantry drawer of the fridge. The onion is in a sandwich bag somewhere around the front. No, it’s in the door next to the maple syrup.” 

Stephen went to the refrigerator once again and retrieved the necessary materials from their respective places. He didn’t question the onion’s odd placing. 

“I’m guessing you’ll make another one of these for yourself,” Stephen spoke and placed the onion, ham, and cheese on the counter beside the stove. “If you’d like for me to make one and you eat that, I will.” 

As hungry as Tony was, he turned down the wizard’s offer. “This one is for you. You are my guest, after all. And besides, it’s quick and easy.” Tony flipped the egg over and began to sprinkle the inner ingredients into the man’s omelet. He let the cheese melt for a moment and lifted the edge of the egg, folding it over to where the edges align. He flipped the stove off for a moment and grabbed a plate from the overhead cabinet to his right. 

Tony set the plate on the island and transferred the omelet from the skillet to the plate. His eyes returned to Stephen, who had been watching the entire process. He opened a drawer and retrieved a fork, placing it on the plate to the right of the omelet. He pushed the plate to Stephen and smiled. 

Stephen inhaled, the smell of the ham as it came from the omelet entering his nose. He returned the smile. “Thank you, Tony, this looks great. I haven’t eaten an omelet in ages.” 

“Well, I hope you enjoy,” Tony replied and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. “Now I just have to do that all over again.” 

But Tony didn’t mind. He was proud to be cooking for a guest such as Stephen. He washed out the bowl he used to mix the omelets in and cracked two more eggs. Before getting started, he dropped the rest of the stick of butter into the pan, smearing it around the skillet. 

Tony returned to his bowl and beat the eggs back in forth with a strong arm as he did before. He poured them into the skillet and took a deep breath. He looked back at Stephen to notice he hadn’t taken a bit of his omelet. “You better say you’re just letting it cool off.” 

Stephen chuckled. “That, and I’m waiting for you. I think it’d be rude to just start eating when the cook hasn’t even finished cooking.” He smiled at Tony, his heart beating out of his chest. 

“Why, Stephen,” Tony began and faced the stove. “You know that isn’t necessary.” He turned over the omelet and let it sit for a moment. “You need to eat, I insist.” He looked over his shoulder at Stephen.

The sorcerer shook his head. “Well, I insist, that I wait for you.” He smirked lightly, trying to hold in a laugh.

Tony rolled his eyes and added the ingredients to his omelet and pulled the edges together. He liked this sorcerer, a lot. He took another plate from the cabinet and set it on the counter. 

“Now,” Tony began, turning off the stove. He set the omelet on the plate as he did before. He took another fork from the drawer and placed it to the right of the omelet. “Eat.” 

Stephen pointed to the seat next to him. “You first.” His smirk widened and his eyes followed Tony as he came around the island and sat next to Stephen. 

“Miss Potts must have told you I hadn’t been eating. I have been, I promise,” Tony said, taking his fork into his hand. He sectioned off a piece and stabbed it with his fork. He took the bite of omelet, relishing in the flavor of the ham and cheese. 

Stephen let out a laugh and shook his head. “She didn’t, I’m just making sure you eat.” The man cut off a bite and brought it into his mouth, his hand unsteady from the weight of the omelet. Just as the food entered his mouth, the fork fell from his grasp. Stephen’s heart dropped. 

Tony’s eyes came from his plate and he outstretched his arm, catching the fork in his hand. He gave it back to Stephen. “You alright?” 

Stephen nodded quickly, careful not to arouse any suspicion of disarray from the man. “I apologize,” he replied after swallowing the bite. “I’m fine.” 

“Stephen?”

“Tony, I’m fine,” the sorcerer stated, his eyes not coming away from his omelet. His hand quivered as he set down his fork on the plate. “My hands, my hands are weak.” He attempted to take another bite and managed to get the bite in his mouth without dropping the utensil. 

“Look at me, Stephen,” Tony spoke, concern entering his voice. 

Stephen sighed and met Tony’s eyes reluctantly. His hands ached, but he tried to put aside the pain. He forced a smile. “The tragedy I spoke about earlier was a car accident. I damaged every major nerve in my hands. I was a neurosurgeon before a sorcerer, and I needed my hands. But they were gone.” He set his hands on the counter, watching Tony’s eyes trace each scar on his fingers. 

“I can’t steady my hands much now, and even simple tasks, like holding a fork, make my hands ache,” Stephen told. “It’s nothing for you to be worried about. I can manage it most of the time. I’m hoping it will start to heal over time, the scars become unnoticeable.” He looked back up at the other man. 

Tony nodded. “I understand. I’ve got a lot of things I’m still trying to recover from. Maybe we can work through that together,” Tony proposed and smiled at the man, trying to lift his spirits. “Pepper always said a bit of company can change anyone.”

Stephen exhaled, a smile coming back to his lips. “Yes, maybe it can.” 

Tony stood from his seat and took a knife from the silverware drawer. “I’ll cut up your omelet, Stephen. I’ll help you with whatever you need. I think we’ll be doing this more often, what do you say?” 

“You make a mean omelet, Tony. I’d like to see what else you can cook. And what else you have to talk about,” Stephen responded. 

After each of them finishing their breakfast, Tony and Stephen spent the rest of the day together. Stephen helped Tony work on the state of his house. They reorganized his cabinets and the refrigerator, alphabetized the bookshelves in Tony’s study, sorted out his drawers in his bedroom, cleaned out from under the cars in the garage, and a heap of other things Tony had meant to do before Stephen arrived. 

Tony enjoyed doing the tasks with Stephen. He appreciated having someone to talk to about their experiences. Stephen made the compound feel less lonely, a little bit less like a vast place with nothing to do other than sulk. And Tony didn’t like to sulk.

Stephen kept the man on his feet with various conversations about whatever the two men pleased. They talked about their music tastes while and made an entirely new playlist for when they would work on cars together. They set aside their favorite pieces of literature for when either of them wanted to read. Stephen told Tony of his travels between dimensions and all that he had seen, the good and the bad while working on the refrigerator and the kitchen. By the end of the day, Tony and Stephen decided they’d relax in the living room with a movie before Stephen had to leave. 

“It feels like I’ve known you longer than a day, Tony,” Stephen spoke and he redirected his gaze from the television to the man. 

Tony smiled and met Stephen’s eyes. Even after hearing of many of his stories, he still wondered why there was pain beneath the light in his grey-blue eyes. He wondered what had sparked that touch of grey in his hair. He wished to know more about Stephen than he did now. 

“I want to do this again, Stephen,” Tony admitted. “I don’t want this to end.” 

Stephen exhaled, a smile coming over his lips. He empathized with the man, realizing that today had filled that hole of loss in his heart. He, as Tony did, wanted every day to be like today. He let his hand fall onto the couch and replied, “I know, Tony. I don’t want it to either.” 

Tony rested his hand against Stephen’s. “I feel better than I have in months. I feel like I’m starting to heal, and it’s only been one day,” he confessed. 

“I’m overcome with this heavy sense of duty, and I know I can handle it. I know that I am able to be master of the mystic arts and work at the sanctum, but the stress is unlike anything I have ever felt. I’ve had no outlet to unwind in the last couple of months, and this day just helped me so much. I’d love to feel like I do today, every day,” Stephen explained and laid his head against the cushion. “There wasn’t a weight on my shoulders today.” 

Stephen savored the slight physical contact between them. He didn’t want to pull his hand away, for Tony’s mere touch was comforting. 

“You put it into words,” Tony responded and gave a tired smile. “Do you have to be at the sanctum tonight?” 

“Wong, the sanctum librarian I told you about, wants me there for nightly meditation. I can always do it here if you’d like for me to stay,” Stephen answered. 

Tony shook his head. “As much as I’d like for you to stay, I know you need to return to the sanctum. You can always come again,” he said. “Besides, it’s getting late.” 

Stephen let a yawn escape his lips. “I’ll try to come again tomorrow. Wong has been wanting me to get out of the sanctum anyway.” Before rising from the couch, Stephen gripped Tony’s hand lightly. He smiled at the man and eased over to the elevator door. He slipped on his shoes. 

Tony walked over to him and smiled. “Thank you for today, Stephen.” 

“Thank you, Tony,” Stephen replied, letting out a tired sigh. A smile came over his lips. “I have to admit, I don’t want to leave. I know it’s just a portal back to the sanctum, but I want to cherish this feeling. The comfort I feel around you.” Heat crept back into his cheeks. 

Tony’s heart melted. He had become enamored with the man in just a day. “Before you go,” he spoke and brought the man into an embrace. “I’m sorry,” he whispered in his ear. “You’re just too good for me to let get away.” 

Stephen wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist and softly replied, “If you are sorry, then I am too. I’ll be back tomorrow, Tony. We can talk more then.”

“Goodnight, Stephen,” Tony whispered, meeting the man’s eyes as he pulled away from the embrace. 

Stephen exhaled with a smile. “Goodnight, Tony. I’ll be back tomorrow.” 

“FRIDAY,” Tony called out with a heavy heart. “Open the elevator.” 

“Of course, boss,” FRIDAY answered, and the elevator doors opened. 

Stephen stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. He waved to the man.

“What time will you be here tomorrow?” Tony asked, but the doors shut as the words left his lips. It was at this moment that he realized he had become more than friends with that man in one day. The man had done more than become friends with him. He had found someone that gave him hope in a sea of people who had taken that hope away from him. He hoped to be that man for Stephen. 

It was at this moment when the healing began for the couple. 

Stephen managed to visit Tony as much as he could at random hours of the day. He loved to surprise Tony on days he might not have been able to make it, always making room for Tony in his busy schedule. They’d cook together and read to each other, just as the couple did upon their first meeting. 

When Tony was on business trips, he’d stop by the sanctum before catching his flight or before he returned home. They’d have tea in the library and meet with the students who spent much of their time in the sanctum. Tony loved being in the sanctum, for the surroundings were unlike anywhere he had been before. The sanctum was ancient but full of life and many things to discover, and Stephen was there to guide him through it all. That was his favorite part. 

It was a couple of months into their relationship when Tony realized he hadn’t drunk any alcohol since the night before he met Stephen. He lost the urge to drink away his sorrows, for Stephen had taken those sorrows away. Stephen, not to Tony’s awareness, removed all the liquor from the compound. But Tony didn’t care to know. The bar in the sanctum had been collecting dust, and the only time he had touched the bar since that fateful night, was to clean it. 

Stephen, with the help of Tony, was able to successfully shave without dropping the razor multiple times. He was able to cut his food into pieces and not worry about losing his grip on the knife. Tony had engineered a cuff bracelet that used artificial intelligence to steady his hands when nerve signals or muscle movement was detected. His hands were stronger than ever before. 

“You helped me heal, Stephen, and I never would have thought it from a Bleecker street magician,” Tony admitted as he laid in Stephen’s arms, his eyes illuminated by the low light of his bedroom lamp. “My hope had suddenly been whittled away, and you just brought it back into my life like it was nothing. I needed you more than I knew at the time. Now I see how much you changed my life. How much I love you.” 

Stephen’s eyes gleamed in adoration of the man. “I wouldn’t feel the way I do today without you, Tony. I wouldn’t have gained a bit of healing in my hands, and I certainly would not have fallen in love with such a wonderful man if you hadn’t had been so kind to me upon our first meeting.” He ran his hands through the man’s hair and pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

“Thank you, Stephen,” Tony said once more as he reached to turn off the lamp. He relaxed against Stephen’s chest, and as he shut his eyes, he whispered, “For healing me.” 

Stephen pressed a kiss to the man’s forehead and settled himself against the pillows for the night. “Goodnight,” he whispered. “Rest well, my love.”


End file.
